Team members have organised and been part of the staff in small and large events. Small events like university visits, informal gatherings and Fedora release parties. Large events like, Document Freedom Day, FLISOL and Software Freedom Day.

Managua

Managua is the Capital city of Nicaragua. One distinct feature is that has a lot of concrete cobbled streets. You can not walk the city, you may walk within some neighbourhood, but usually distances are beyond walking distance and there is lack of side walks. The address is based on landmark references.

Airport

Managua International airport Agusto Cesar Sandino has MGA code. It is serve by Avianca-TACA, Copa, American Airlines, Delta, United, Spirit and Nature Air. You may expect to get connection in Miami, San Salvador or Panama city. Airport is about 12 kilometers from city center.

Local Transportation

The public transportation is overcrowded. There is plenty of taxi cabs but you have to bargain the fare before hand. There is not meters on the taxi cabs.

Schedule

Proposed dates

October 30th, October 31st and November 1st, 2014.

This will be at mid rainy season. Temperature will be around 26C / 80F with 50% of rain probability. When rains, usually it is for a short time, most likely at the end of the afternoon.

Schedule

Day

Time

Activities

October 30th

Morning Afternoon

Opening and barcamp votation Pre scheduled talks

October 31st

Morning Afternoon

Barcamp Workshops and hacking

November 1st

Morning Afternoon

Workshops and hacking Barcamp and closing

Fud-Pub

There is a popular Nicaraguan food for festivities called "Caballo Bayo". Food is serve in a buffet, clay pottery that holds ignited charcoals and on top there is a big clay plate holding the food hot. Usually there is shredded beef, shredded chicken, minced pork, plantains, cheese, cream, among other stuff. You take corn tortillas in a plate and serve whatever you like. By default we can have this at the hotel. We are exploring other locations to offer different locations.

Venue

At this point, there is no definitive venue. The proposed Venue is Universidad Centroamericana, it is a catholic university administered by the Jesuit order. It is one of the best universities on the country and it has a FOSS community GUL-UCA. Among the private universities UCA is the biggest, having several conference rooms. It has several labs, one of them has already installed Fedora. Starting 2012, UCA is a smoking free area.Their staff will provide some talks as part of the commitment to the event. They are reviewing the schedule of internal activities. It has been said that the will sponsor the event providing the venue and some internet bandwidth free of charge.

There are several conference halls. Aula Magna 400p, Xabier Gorsotiaga 220p, Roberto Teran 120p, Ponsol-Astorqui 100p, Amando Lopez 60p. There several post graduated class room 40p with air conditioning. Also there are several computer labs from 20p to 40p all of them with air conditioning.

The university have book shop, school supply store, snack bars and banks with ATM. Around the university there is several low cost small buffet. Within walking distance there is a Shopping centre with food court, cinemas pharmacy, computer store, electronic store, office supply stores, banks and offices of mobile phone companies. There are some restaurant more up scale near by.

Logistics

Accommodation

At this point there is not definitive selection. Our proposed Hotel is Mansión Teodolinda. Has a good Internet infrastructure and is offering a meeting room for hacking after hours. It has been offered to provide transport to the venue free of charges. The hotel has airport shuttle service, this is a pending issue to negotiate.

There are some small bars nearby. There is a shopping centre near by with food court, cinemas and small stands of mobile phone companies. There is a pharmacy close by. There is a gas station with convenience store and ATM.

Catering

Hotel Mansión Teodolinda have offered lunch boxes delivered to the venue, this may be convenient. There are some restaurants in walking distance of the university that can be explored.

Pre-registration system

There is not estimated cost for this item, but it will be sponsored by Kakao media in their web site Folcano which displays activities and sells tickets for events.

Travel

Visa information

People from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador only require valid government issued ID to enter Nicaragua.

The rest of countries required valid passport. The passport expiration day should be at least six months later than the entry day. Most country does no require visa. However there is a short list of countries that their nationals require to obtain visa before travelling to Nicaragua. Having in mind countries that have fedora collaborators, people from Colombia, Costa Rica, Peru require visa. This is a decision within the consular office, should be a short time waiting. For some other countries, not relevant to our case, the visa have to be consulted to the inmigration offices at Nicaragua and take longer to be processed. You can consult the complete list at the foreign ministry web site (Spanish)

There is a fee at the migration check point (airport o border) of USD 5.00 applied to foreigners.

Buses

As Nicaragua is at the centre of Central America, it is possible for people to travel by bus. Both way bus tickets to Managua

City

Ticabus

Transnica

King Quality

Transporte del sol

Guatemala

(Overnight) Mix USD 140.32 Tourist USD 107.52

n/a

Quality USD 138

(Overnight) Executive USD 140

San Salvador

Executive USD 100 Tourist 60

n/a

Platinum USD 102

Executive USD 99

Tegucigalpa

Tourist USD 40

USD 60

Platinum USD 82

n/a

San Pedro Sula

Tourist USD 64

n/a

Quality USD 92

n/a

San Jose

Executive USD 80 Tourist 56.40

Convetional USD 53 Executive USD 73

n/a

n/a

Panama (Overnight)

Executive USD 190.10 Mix USD 162.10 Tourist USD 132.10

n/a

n/a

n/a

Mix =Over night travel that is booked half in executive class and half in tourist class

Direct Fligths

The table below only shows direct flights. You will have to make connection in one of those cities to get to Nicaragua.
Prices searched in Orbitz on December 14th, 2013. Travelling to Managua on October 29th and returning November 3th.

City

Air Line

Price

Miami

American Taca

USD 436.90 USD 436.90

Atlanta

Delta

USD 608.90

Houston

United

USD 797.4

Guatemala

Taca (1 stop) Copa

USD 443.10 USD 443.10

San Salvador

Taca

USD 298.43

San Jose

CopaTaca

USD 317.81 USD 317.81

Panama

CopaTaca (1 stop)

USD 590.10 USD 579.40

It is possible that a flight from Panama stops in San José, Costa Rica, for 30 minutes without need to change plane.
The flight from Panama by Taca, goes up North to San Salvador, change planes and then returning South to Nicaragua.

Conecting Flights

The table below is for long distance flights that requires connections. Searches made in Orbitz on December 14th, 21013. Travelling to Nicaragua on October 29th and returning November 3rd 2014

Cons

Quotations a.k.a. Working information

ideas

id badges

promotional posters to invite people

transport airport / venue

media

Stickers

excursion details

transport for excursion

Lodging

Cost calculated in base of 20 guests in 10 double rooms. Taxes included. Meeting room will be a hacking/meeting space for the night. If breakfast is not included, the price will be added. Air shuttle has to be calculated double, as incoming and outgoing travels.